Patriots notebook: Seau looks to see workload increase

Here's a switch. It's December and we should be seeing more of Junior Seau, not less.

Eric McHugh

Here's a switch. It's December and we should be seeing more of Junior Seau, not less.

Seau, who hasn't gotten through a full season intact since 2003 with the Dolphins, figures to see his workload increase now that fellow linebacker Rosevelt Colvin has suffered a season-ending foot injury. Seau had been thriving in a rotation at inside linebacker, subbing for both starters -- Tedy Bruschi and Adalius Thomas.

More snaps might not be the best thing for Seau in his 18th pro season, but Patriots coach Bill Belichick said age (38) is just a number for the 12-time Pro Bowler. Seau is eighth on the team in tackles with 44 and also has a career-high three interceptions, tied for second on the Pats with reserve cornerback Randall Gay. Asante Samuel leads with six picks.

"He doesn't look old, he doesn't play old," Belichick said Friday of Seau, who broke his forearm in the Patriots' 11th game last season. "He looks just like everybody else does that's a veteran player. He's got a lot of energy, he can run, he's quick, he's explosive, he's got a high energy level, he's smart, he's on top of it.

“I don't want to say he doesn't look his age, but (when) you watch him on the football field, you don't look at him and say, 'Wow, there's an old man. It looks like he's getting ready to retire.'”

Compensating for Colvin

The Patriots naturally have been tight-lipped about how they will react, scheme-wise, to Colvin's loss.

"Well, you know us," defensive coordinator Dean Pees said. "We have the ability to play 3-4 and 4-3 and 4-2 and 2-4 and whatever you want. That's always going to be a game-to-game thing ... You're always going to see a multiple (number) of defenses from us week-in and week-out."

Most observers assume Thomas will slide outside for his Monday night return visit to Baltimore, leaving Bruschi and Seau to man the two inside spots.

Seau has vast experience playing on the outside, too, so it's possible he could move to the perimeter, leaving the bulkier Thomas to provide inside muscle.

"He plays up in the line, plays back off the line," Belichick said of Seau. "I don't see him as a one-dimensional player at all. I think he has a lot of versatility, more than probably most middle linebackers that have played in this league."

Pees acknowledged that the Patriots will need to find a fifth linebacker to work into the rotation with Mike Vrabel, Bruschi, Thomas and Seau.

Candidates include recently signed veteran Chad Brown, who has played both inside and outside, and youngsters Eric Alexander (inside) and Pierre Woods (outside).

Pees said one way to limit wear and tear on the linebacking corps is continue to get off the field on third down. The Patriots rank fifth in the league at third-down D (opponents succeed only 34.4 percent of the time), but the Eagles were 8 of 13 (62 percent) last week.

Defending Moss?

Belichick offered a somewhat lukewarm defense of Randy Moss against charges by ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski that the receiver did not give his best effort on certain plays last week.

A source this week indicated that Moss might have sustained a concussion on a helmet-to-hit late in the first half. He did not catch a pass the rest of the night.

"I think, like all of us, Ron's a football guy," Belichick said. "He's entitled to his opinion and so is everybody else. (I) just think that Randy's done a good job for us. He's been a good leader, been a good player, been very productive, and I'd say the same thing I'd say about Randy as I'd say about myself and every other player. He's not perfect. There are things he could do better. I make plenty of mistakes; so does everybody else. Is every play perfect for any of us? No. There's room for improvement by all of us. I put everybody in that category."

Keeping focus

The Patriots' defensive backs seem to be overplaying Philly's receivers to the outside, thereby giving up some easy yardage over the middle. Pees said the problem wasn't the Eagles' routes but the way the Patriots lost focus at times.

"The thing that got us a little bit in (trouble) the last game, and we've tried to work on it this week, is just fundamentally we got a little bit lax at times and let things happen that just shouldn't happen," he said. “We got caught kind of watching the rush, expecting that guy to get sacked and he didn't get sacked and maybe we were out of position a little bit."

Faulk practices

Running back Kevin Faulk returned to practice Friday after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday with a thigh injury. Not counting a final-play kneel-down, Faulk played 51 of 72 snaps against the Eagles while Laurence Maroney was in for just 16 plays, none in the first half.

Injury report

The Patriots reported no injuries Friday - other than Tom Brady's normal designation (probable/right shoulder). S Eugene Wilson, who had been nursing a groin injury, was given a clean bill of health for the first time this week ... For Baltimore, TE Todd Heap (thigh) and CB Chris McAlister (knee) did not practice Friday. They were listed as questionable, along with S Gerome Sapp (thigh). RB Willis McGahee (ankle) is probable ... The Ravens boast the league's top-ranked red-zone defense, allowing touchdowns just 34.3 percent of the time. The Patriots, who have the second-ranked red-zone offense (72.2 percent) slipped back to last place on defense (70.8 percent) after Philly cashed in on all three of its chances ... The Patriots are 3-0 all-time against the Ravens, winning 46-38 in 1996, 20-3 in 2000 and 24-3 in 2004. Troy Brown and Bruschi are the only current Patriots who played in all the games.

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